GreenGov 2011 Announces Day One Keynote and Plenary Speakers

October 20, 2011

The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) today announced the keynote speakers and plenary session panelists who will kickoff the 2011 GreenGov Symposium, to be held October 31 - November 2, at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. Nancy Sutley, Chair of CEQ, will deliver welcoming remarks, and Jack Lew, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will deliver the first keynote address of GreenGov 2011. The first day plenary session will feature clean energy and green leaders, including award-winning journalist and associate professor at the University of Kansas School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Simran Sethi, and renowned explorer, social entrepreneur, and environmental advocate Philippe Cousteau Jr. among others to discuss how they see the Federal Government can lead by example in sustainability.

Keynote speaker Jack Lew, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, was the first Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, in which capacity he served as Chief Operating Officer of the department. Before joining the State Department, Lew served as managing director and chief operating officer of Citi Global Wealth Management, as well as vice president and chief operating officer of New York University.

Nancy Sutley, Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, serves as President Obama’s principal environmental advisor. She was formerly the Deputy Mayor for Energy and Environment for the city of Los Angeles, California, and represented Los Angeles on the Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. She also served on the California State Water Resources Control Board from 2003 - 2005.

Moderating the kickoff plenary session panel will be Simran Sethi, founding host and writer of Sundance Channel's environmental programming "The Green" and creator of the Sundance online series "The Good Fight". Sethi was recently named one of the top ten eco-heroes of the planet by the UK's Independent for his efforts to highlight to local environmental justice efforts and grassroots activism. She will moderate the day's featured panelists, listed below:

Philippe Cousteau, Jr., Explorer, social entrepreneur and environmental advocate, Philippe Cousteau is the 31-year-old son of Jan and Philippe Cousteau Sr., and the grandson of Capain Jacques-Yves Cousteau. As a member of the legendary family, Philippe is continuing the work of his father through EarthEcho International where his goal is to engage and empower people to take action for a brighter future.

Will Byrne, Cofounder & Executive Director of The DC Project, a nonprofit organized around the mission of creating clean energy career opportunities for people in need.

Tarak Shah, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy.

Ashok Kamal, Co-Founder & CEO of Bennu, a social media marketing company that develops and executes corporate social responsibility (CSR) solutions.

Chiara Camponeschi, a social entrepreneur who works at the intersection of interdisciplinary research, social innovation and urban sustainability. Her latest project, "The Enabling City," explores innovative ways of thinking about communities and change.

President Obama signed Executive Order 13514 on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance in October 2009, directing Federal agencies to meet aggressive energy, water, and waste reduction targets, reduce their greenhouse gas pollution, and leverage Federal purchasing power to curb waste, save taxpayer dollars, and support the growth of a 21st century clean energy economy. As previously announced, this year's GreenGov Symposium, Co-hosted by the Association of Climate Change Officers, will bring together leaders from government, the private sector, non-profits and academia to identify opportunities to create jobs, grow clean energy industries, and curb pollution by greening the Federal Government.

Divided into nine tracks, the symposium will cover a diverse range of Federal sustainability initiatives including clean energy, climate risk and resilience, education and engagement, fleet management, green facilities, greening the supply chain, IT and electronics, sustainable planning, and water and materials management. Presenters include Dr. Dorothy Robyn, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment at the Department of Defense; Michael Littlejohn, Vice President for Smarter Cities at IBM; Tim Unruh, Manager of the Federal Energy Management Program at the Department of Energy; and Robert Peck, Commissioner of Public Buildings at the U.S. General Services Administration. Each track will have nine panel sessions to provide informative overviews, case studies, and dynamic discussion among participants. With over 160 confirmed speakers, attendance is expected to be over 1000.